Hello, fall!

Well, our rite of passage was completely canceled by rain. I was clearly making my weather prediction for good weather based on the sunshine outside my window when I blogged and not on the official weather forecast. We decided to introduce the kids to Scrabble, and let's just say it was an exercise in patience for the adults.

With the exception of Friday night's rain, the weather this weekend was perfection: 75 and sunny with cool mornings and evenings mixed in. If it were up to me, we would have fall weather year round. There's something so motivational about the brisk mornings mixed with the sun filtering through the trees. It makes me want to open up the windows and get right to work.

Sunday we took the kids to a local park that has mountain biking trails. Or if you don't have bikes, you can call them walking trails. :) We took the short one-mile route, but are definitely going to go back for the longer routes.

(photography note: the lighting was super crazy. Because the trail was so heavily wooded, it was very dark, and I had a very hard time working with white balance. And can we say serious color casting from all the pretty greenery? I still think these are pretty and they reflect our afternoon.)

No, my lens isn't dirty - those are bugs! And excuse the weird sunflare lens thingy. ;)

halfway done

smelling and listening to a red cedar explanation from his dad

racing to the finish

Tomorrow I see my oncologist, Dr. C, for my regular 8-week check-up. It is hard to live my life in 8-week segments, but I think I might be finally getting it down (covering head and ducking because now that I've said that out loud, something is SURE to happen). Over the last year, we've moved, changed churches and started the process of beginning a new church. When I was diagnosed, the majority of my support system was via church family and friends. Now I find myself in the unfamiliar situation of being surrounded mostly by people who don't even know I have cancer, much less know how serious my diagnosis is or how hard life has been at times for our family.

And to be perfectly honest, I have found myself very reticent to share with others. For the first time in almost 3 years, I am not the cancer girl. I'm just the children's pastor's wife with two cute Korean kids who occasionally sings with the praise band. I am 100% okay with that . . . with the exception of when doctor's appointments fill my week as has been the case over the last several days. I am asking if you, my online community, will fill in the gap when it comes to prayer for me over the next 24 hours. I have not really had time to worry about tomorrow's appointment or my updated CA125 number, but it is very present in my head this morning that life could change tomorrow.

As always, I'll update as soon as I know results. Thank you so much, friends. I already feel better knowing that you will be thinking of me.